Ore-classifier.



E. G. JANNEY. ORE CLASSIPIER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 1910.

984,222. Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ATTORNEY.

f2 xm Patented Feb. 14,1911.

` 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. G. JANNEY. ORE CLASSIFIBR. APPLICATION ILED SEPT. mi, 1910.

INVENTOR Ffm/f (fr/xm BY' 2 ATTORNEY.

& VE b m m W4 F. G. JANNEY.

ORB CLSSIFIER.`

APPLICATION FILED SEPT, ze, 1910.

Patented Feb. 14,1911. I

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

LV VEN'Z'OR. finan/f 0 rim/26g' ORB GLASSIPIBR.

yAPPLIGATION FILED SEPT. zie, 1910.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHBETVi IN VENTOR. Fm n/c Cr- 02m/zeg- ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK G. JNNEY, 0F SALT LKE CITY, UTA'H ORE-CLASSIFIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

rateilteaneb. 14, 1911.

Application filed September 28, 1910. Serial No. 584,313.

all whom 'it may concern:

le .it known that LFRANK GrJannnr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the coun-ty of Salt Lake and -State. o -t Utah, have invented certain neuY and .useful Improvements in Ore-Classiiers, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to `the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.4

, My lnvention has-relatlon to unprovements 1n ore-classifiers; and 1t consists 1n the novel construction and arrangement of i parts more fully set forthlinthe specica-` tion and pointed `out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure '11s-a top planv of aseri-es of ore-classifiers showing my in'- vention appliedthereto ,j I4`.i"gj.'2.is a combined the combined continuous ldischarge'valve; VFlg. 7 1s an tail (with .pulp hopper and rof Fig. 2, 'taken larged iv'erticabmiddle sectional ldetail 'of elevational de- .sorting chain- .l

' ber in seetion) showing a "modification ot .tlne spiders illustrated npr previous viewsg .Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on .the line a similar` section of astill-fui'ther f tiongof the spider; Fi, 101s a sef'rtmn 'on he valve.

feed of V the order of Fig. showingfhowever, a pulsat; ing hydraulic feed Vinlieu ofV the uniform latter figure;4 and F ig.' 11v is anenlarged sectional dc,t\'1`il-,-fl the fecdfrockinvention is au. improi'fement- The present on the ore-elasslfier covered by my"U. S.

Patent numbered 028,455, dated. Jily 20, 1909; and. While conten1plati1'i the several" objects, and possessingy the Various',a'dvany tages of the patented construction, i-tpos the additional .advantags (1) -of breaking up all currents which destroy the.

`desiredeftectof a uniform angl hon'iogeueous' series.

spit zka sten Well beneath the spitzka'sten,

Y spitzkasten and intermittent "ing ltinuous and, `for the concentrates, which thereby! reduces. the time during. which the valve need refv .presentto Figs; -Figs 1- and 2 show -a conventional Aseries vof spitzkasten well rising column, (2) of keeping the particles ot ore separate and according each particle the individual benefit of such 4rising column, and (3) of `enabling the rising column to effectively] carry off the lighter particles from one For proper classification one of the ob- ]ects sought 1s to secure an equal upward vehopper to the next hopper of the locity for each rising molecule of- Water throughout the entire 'cross-section' of such `column so that the, necessity of'. breaking up disturbing currents which destroy this molecular equality of ioW becomes imperative. This hasheretofore been accomplished by subjecting the rising column entering the tion brought about either by a tangential projection of the hydraulic` current into a or by means of a screw conveyor operating in a final sorting chamber interposed between the`hopper or and a bottom chamber such as shown in my U. S. Patent numbered 964,261, dated July 12, 1910. In

tlie, present improvement this is accomplished by subjecting the rising column in such sorting chamber and inthe bottomfof the hopper, and below the stirrer .arms in said ioppelfgtoA the' action of Asuitable Amechanical agitators which .offer a-series 'of preferably staggered orv zig-zagv passage.

'ways' to the rising molecules, thebreaking up of distlirbing currents being :most effec tive, and theindivid-ual particlesoforeba kept separated from one another` to a spiral or whirling moretarding The,

presentimprovement contemplates in' adv dition, the introduction of a` combinedcon- 'ntermittent discharge valve main unseated. 'It contemplates further the introductikin (if desirable) of -a pulsating. hydraulic `feed tages ofwhich 4will betully apparent from and other details the advan a `fletailed"descr1ption ot lthe invention,

Referring to the drawings,n(and tor the', A

1 to` 6 inclusive)- in 'which ore-classifier hoppers or vknown in the art,

'divided into al seriesot successive compartf ments, hoppers or pulp 'containers' A prothe classifier consists of v av i longtapering box or' trough B, which. is i gressivelyin'creasing in depthand capacity toward the wide end of the box or that end general flow of the water from one" comrisin partment to the next compartment of the series. Of course, any one compartment constitutes a classifier in itself, so that a detailed description of one will answer 'for all Mounted centrally within the compartment, hopper or container A is a hollow rota table shaft S to which are aiiixedl a series of paddles or stirrerarms C progressively increasing-in lengt-h with the inclination of the walls of the compartment. The shaft' extends downward into and through a bottom cylindrical, final sizing or sorting chamber 1 virtually forming an extension of the hopper, wherein the shaftv is provided with a cluster of juxtaposed spiders 2 which extend a suitable distance into the lhopper proper. These spiders, as fully shown in the drawings (Figs- 3,4, 5) comprise a centralhub a (keyed or otherwise secured 'to the shaft S), a series of spokes-,6 (having flat deiecting faces) gand an outer rim c, the spiders being so set that the spokes of any one member come vertically opposite t-he space between the spokes of the spiders on either side thereof, thus bringing about a staggered relation between the spokes of suc-` cessive spiders (Figs. t, 5))

column of waterzas scen-`y ing concentrates must traverse zag or staggered series of passage-ways (see arrows' in V'sectional View Eig. 5). The spokes which are`oblong in cross-section are setat opposite inclinations in the successive spiders so asttobetter deflect the currents impinging againstthem and cause them to t-raverse the staggered path determined for them. The chamber 1 is preferably provided with a bottomconical dischargemouth ,3, the shafts terminating however, in the of the' line-pipe 8 leading horizontal plane of the lower' end. of the cylindrical portion or' sorting chamber proper, the same as in my' Patent 964,261 referred to. Secured to the lower flanged end of the mouth 3 by mean-s of' tie-rods 4 'the bottom ofwhichcouples up to a` union 6 provided with a leg -6 which in turn terminatesv in a tee 7 "to which is coupled the discharge end to any suitable source of hydraulic waterssupply (not shown). To the union 6 is coupled the botltom retarding chamber 9 which is provided e with a bottom discharge nozzle or bushing 10 having a more or less constricted passage- The purpose of the'retardin'g chamber, as set forth in my prior patents,is to -anaintain a slight upward current for holding fine particles of slimein suspension during the discharge of the classified material."

VThe shaft S is propelled by mWOrm-pinion E (on thief' drive-shaft In this way the vpairs against the arm E)engaging the Y worm-gear F secured ,to the upper end of the shaft, and may be rotated from any source of Ipower (not shown) at any 'desired speed. The upper end of the shaft S is supported in a bearing 11( on a plank or plate 12 mounted across the top` of the container and supported on the bracketsor extensions B of the box B, the gearing being protected by boxes or housings 13 throughthe vertical walls of which the shaft E freely passes, and b which it is in ta measure supported. Of course, any available mechanical manner of supporting the shafts S and E may be resortedJto.

Locsely operating in the hollow stirrershaft S I is a rod R, the lower end of which is provided with a valve V, preferably' a rubber ball passed over the terminal stem s of the rod, and bearing against the annular shoulder la at the. top of the stem, a nut a passed over the terminal screw-threaded end of the stem driving the ball Awell against the shoulder aforesaid. The stem s is tubular being provided with a passage-way 15, the upper end of which is intersected by a cross-passage-way 16 formed in the rod R a short distancelabove the shoulder 14. The arrangement thus 'results in a combined continuous i and intermittent discharge-valve as present-ly will more fully appear. `The valve7 controls the discharge port oformed in the valve-seatJ 17 at the bottom of the union 6, the passage 15 being in permanent l Communication witli said port, bethe valve V .seated or unseated. To t-he upper pro- "jecting endof the rod or valve-stein R is secured a cross-arm or b'ar G one end of which projects. beyond the periphery of the wormgear and is guided between thefork mem- .bers or bracket-arms H (in the housing .13) which are of sulicient height to`allow the arm Gthenecessary vertical movement in the reci' operating the valve V. i

Disposed on the top face of the worm-Gear F are a series of cams or tappets 18 which in. the rotation` of the worm-gearimpinge'in g G (striking the rings 18 with which it is'preferably provided).- and thereby lift/.the stem R and itsvalve V.

procat-ions to which it'is subjectedin Aften'the cams ,have passed olf the arm Gr, v

the rod R with its valve V drops by gravity to its lowest position Abringing the valve against its seat 17 and prevent-ing the discharge of all material which accumulates around the stem R below the cross-'passage 16. Of course, the upper'strataof classified material or those above the passage 16 will discharge continuously through the passages 15', 16, Q into the retarding chamber 9 whence all concentrates are dischargedl through -the bushing 10. The continuous discharge of a .portion of the concentrates as just described l permits the raising of the valve V for com parativel-y short periods, the lifting projec- Y tions of the cams 18 being thus reduced in is directed by the conical mouth 3 into the area to a minimum so as to" engage the arm` observation cylinder whence it precipitates G for short periods only, or only for suiiiinto the union G. From this it is discharged cient periods to. effect the necessary discontinuously and intermittently in the man- 5" charge of the material accumulating below ner previously `described into the bottom i-'e- 7., 'i the plane of disposition ofthe cross-passage tarding chamber 9 whence the concentrates 16. OfV course, the shorter the .periods of fiow through the nozzle 10. The same acnnseating of theI valve 1V, the more effective 4tion takes place in each container ofthe sewill bethe classifying vaction of the 'rising ries, each succeediigcontainer treating the hydraulicv current: The presenty arrangeoverflow 'from the one preceding it, iintil 75 v^ment thus constitutes a happy medium bethellast hopper is reached whence the shines ,n tween Va system of continuous, and an interpass off to the properconcentrating appamittent dischargerof concentrates, being a ratus. If desired, the passage-ways 1G, 15, combination of continuous and intermittent may be closed or dispensedwith so that the l5- discharges, p I classifier may be made exclusively intermit-` 80 In general, the present classifier corretenty from 'the standpoint of discharge., such sponds to that described in my prior rpatents a Change in nowise affecting the action of aforesaid, the improvements herein being the SpJfleI gltator. directed to the `discharging means, Aand to j Thetforin of agitator 2 whichhas been the meansy for breaking up all disturbing describedA may have substituted therefor 85 i currents in the classifying water-column, other patterns which will operate m subone example of such' means being shown in Stantially the same way, and are contemthe cluster of spiders withtheir staggered plated within the scope of the present in- V passage-ways as previously described. Feavention. For example inwligs. 7 and 8 I tures sliowvn but not alluded to are old in the showl a nest of circular plates or disks 2 90 y art, and hence need not be vdescribed herein. carrying spacing hubs a', and provided with The operation, which maybe conveniently circular openings m, the openings of one described at this point is substantially as disk being out of alinemerit with those of followsz--As the pulp flows from the narladjacent disks; and in-Fig. 9 I show disks row to the wide end of the classifier box 2 with radially disposed slots a., likewise in 95 from one container A to the next container staggered relation, which the currents must of the series, the contents of each container traverse, the classifying watery column with f are stirred -by the stirrer arms C, the classiits suspended particles passing upward, and fied material-being in part (the upper and the uconcentrates working their way downcomparatively lighter concentrates) conward as alreadyl explained.` In their as- 100 tinuously discharged through' the passages' 'seinbled position, the spiders 2 (or either of 16, 15, port o into 'the .retarding chamber 9 their equivalents 2,2, and others which and out through the nozzle 10 thereof, and the skilled mechanic may devise) may be inv part (the heaviest particles) intermit,` collectively considered as an agitator which 4 0 tently discharged by the raising of the valve is provided with seriesof-tortuous or zig- 105 Of course, the classification is accomf zag passage-ways which ,the classifying colplished by the risin column of water divumnmusttraverse`for the purpose of breakrected from the hyc raulic line or pipe 8 ing up and destroying any and all currents into the `container through the sizing` or which interfere withv thev uniform classify- 45 sorting chamber 1 into andltlirough' which ing action desired for the entire cross-section 110 the heavier ore particles are constantly fallof such column.` In thev examples here illusing kagainst the rising current, the lighter trated such zig-zag passage-ways are formed particles being carried oveilintovthe next.` by-the inter-communicating series of stagf succeeding container. The. rising columnin gered. openings of the assembled component V the sorting chamber A1 is subjected by the members or sections of such agitator. In .115

. nest of'spiders 2 to a species of Lagitation the first form described, the spokes b need which breaks up all such currents as tend to not necessarily be flat as shown, nor is the destroy'the desired effect of a uniform and outer rimc absolutely indispensable. Vhomogeneous rising column, the members 2 The hydraulic feed thus far has been asin their rotation'(-wliich lis at' the same angulsumed to be'and is shown as uniform and 120 i lar velocity as the shaft S and its arms C) constant; butI may substitute in lieu therekeeping apart the individual particles of ore of any convenient form k'of intermittent or so as to accord to each particle the benefit of pulsating feed, the one preferred being ac- 4 the rising column, the latter vin its sinuous tuated from the tappets 18. There the pulpassage through the staggered openings of sating feed is employed it may be used in 125 Y l the spiders-allowingthe finer .particles (in-v connection with a constant discharge in tended forv the next succeeding container) which event the rod R- may bev reduced to a to work their way up through the Vcoarser short stem R (Fig. 10) to which the crossones that are descending. As the classified arm G r is secured.` To one end of the arm G A material falls through theI sizing chamber it is pivotally'and loosely coupled the end of 130 the short arm of a tripping lever fulcrumed to a bracket 2l over the hopper A,

the long arm bearing against an expanding spring 22 positioned at one edge of the hopper, the free lend of the long 'arm being coupled to theupper end of a link 23 whose opposite 'end is pivotally secured to the crank i arm 24 leading from one end of a rock-valve 25 mounted at the base. of the .line-pipe' 8. As theI tappets 18 raise the bar G, the lever 20 will be tripped so as to depress the outer end, this in turn oscillating the arm 24 in the water full play,

s Vent-tubes p to allowthe air to lescape when the valve V opens to discharge the contents` proper direction to rock the vvalve to a partially closed position ;-When the tappets have rpassed olf the bar G, thespring `22 (whicha was compressed by the downward movement 'of the long arm of the lever) will force the lever in the opposite direction and rock` the 'valve 25 to full open position. In this way the'low-of the water will be partially inter- Y Vvrupted at regular intervals,

a series of pulsations.I of partial interruption thematerial inthe sorting chamber is allowed to discharge, the pressure in the rising column at such periods being considerably reduced. s

The pulsating feed might be used in connection with an intermittent discharge slich 'as shown in my prior pat-ents. The stem R might be extended to its original full length (stem R) 'and each time the valve Vwould unseat the rockevalve 25 would partially close, in which intervalthe material would ldischarge past' such unseat-ed valve V; as

the latter seated itself upon the freeing of the bar G from the tappets 1.8, the spring 22 would rock the feed-valve 25 to full open position allowing the classifying action of the material again discharging when the valve V was next unseated and the valve 25 partially (or even wholly if desired)` closed. Of'course, the

use of a pulsatingfeed in connection with' a constant discharge requires more hydraulic water as compared with a constant feed aand an intermittent discharge. The use of one( as against the other. will depend one local conditions.` J)

In practice an annular clearance d should be left betweenthe inner Wall chamber l and the agitator member 'composed of the nest of spiders 2 or their equiva- Llents. I

Obviously the classifier need not be con? fined to, the treatment of ores, but may be.

used `for classification generally,

The retarding chamber 9 is provided .with

of the classier into the chamber.- Other Wise the. retarding chamber would air-trap. Havingdescribed my invention,lwhat .I'- claim is :---v 1.,An ore-classifier comprising a suitable container for the pulp, means for directing -agitators' coupled to and located thus feedingby During the periods of the sorting thereinto a rising column of water, means rotating about a fixed axis'in and confined to the container for rotatively stirring the rotatable mechanical agitator comprising a@ shaft and'gst-irreri arms located in the container, the shaft extending into the sorting chamber, a series of spiders placed in con,

tiguous relation to one another andsecured to thefshaft within the sorting chamber and f at the base of the container', said spiders being provided with openings, those of one spider being out of alinement with the openings of adjacentv spiders, whereby zig-zag passage-ways are formed for the tra-verse of the rising water column.

3. An ore-classifier comprising asuitable container, a bottom sorting chamber open-A ing at the top into the container and pr0- vided with a bottom discharge port, means for directing a rising column of water into the container through the sorting chamber, aA rotatable mechanical agitator comprising a shaft and stirrer arms located'inthe, container, the sha-ft extending into the sorting chamber, a ries of-juxtaposed membis se- .cured to the shaft within'the sorting cham,-v

ber and extending into the bottom of the container below the stirrerarms, a series of staggered passage-ways beingtormed in the assembledseries of members aforesaid for the traverse of the rising water-column. 4, A classifier comprising a pulp-contalner provided with stirring means, i a sorting,v

chamber communicatingl with the container through `the bottom thereof, means for' d1- rectingl through the sorting chamber and into the container a rising column ofwater,

below the an agitator rotating in` the sizing f chamber s andJ extending into the b ottomv 'of the con?. tainer for subjecting the rising water column `to the traverse through series of zig-zag passage-ways, and a retarding chamber below the sorting chamber for classified materialfj 5. In Jan 'oreeclassifien a, suitable container, a-hydraulic line-pipe. for delivering 'water 'under pressure into the container, a

and provided with tappets, va verticallyhredischarging therotatable disk mounted 'over the container ciprocating stem operating loosely through-N139 l the Center of the disk, a cross-arm on the stein periodically engaged by the tappets, a spring-Controlled lever fulcrumed above the container and having one arm pivotelly coupled to one end of the erossnrm, a roekvalve mounted in the line-pipe, zu crank-arm carried by the valve, a link connecting the v@mult-arm tothe oppositezum of the lever, whereby the valve is rocked in one direetionY l0 under the impact of the tappets with the cross-yann, andl in the opposite direction by the Spring controlling the lever, and a pul sitting feed is -elfeeted thereby.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK G. JANNEY.

-llitnesses:

THOMAS A. JANNEY, ELBERT R. WILLIAMS. 

